This is a fascinating book which shows the effect of the divine call on the person who follows it. It shows how each of us can approach life with a different understanding of why we are here, which can lead to a different way of living life. The book starts with a description of each of their lives, and how they came to develop and understand their calling. The facts of Shree Ma's life sound barely believable, especially the fasting for three years, but it is interesting to see her family's terrified reaction to her dramatic spiritual emergence. The book integrates and explains many Hindu concepts and words in a meaningful way and explains their connection to other spiritual belief systems. The interview with Satyanda shows him to be highly developed intellectually as well as spiritually and emotionally, and as a westerner he seems to be able to speak to my western need for explanations.

I loved to learn more about the early life of Shree Maa and about Swami Satyananda Saraswati’s life. It is a great addition to their biographies and very inspiring.

A Reader

Back to Bookstore  Previous Review

This is the most extensive puja I have ever seen. I understand it was the puja that Ramakrishna used. If you want to get deeply into puja and experience the depth and variety of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, I highly recommend this puja.

Steven Newmark (Larkspur, California)

Back to Bookstore  Previous Review

The Cosmic Puja is filled on every page with Bhakti, Jnana, and endless possibilities for creating your own Pujas. The translations are pure and beautiful and vibrate with divinity.
i find that the deeper i delve into the Cosmic Puja, the more Spiritual Gems i discover, filling me with the nectar of devotion beyond measure.

i must say that the world has been so blessed by all the incredible translations Swamiji has done; [many are being seen for the first time in English!]

All of his books have contributed so very much to my own daily sadhana...They are all spiritual gems that radiate so much light! i thank the Divine Mother from the bottom of my heart for bringing these wonderful scriptures into my life!

What more can i say? Please, please! If you love God/Goddess and are looking for spiritual tools to help you enter into the Oneness of Divinity, then discover the joys of worship through the books of our modern day Vyasa Deva...Swami Satyananda Saraswati!

Muktimaa

Back to Bookstore  Previous Review  Next Review

There are many very good Bhagavad Gita's available in the english lanugage. It has undoubtably been the most populary translated Hindu scripture. What sets this translation of the Gita apart has much to do with the translator himself. Swami Satyandna is not a dry academic who has not experienced the truth of the Bhagavad Gita directly. Nor is he an Indian pundit trying to bridge the communication gap between the east and the West.

Before Swami Satyanada became a Swami, he lived in California for the first twenty years of his life. After completing his studies to became a lawyer, he set off for a trip around the world. When he reached India he was so attracted to the depth of India's wisdom that he couldn't leave. He ended up living in India, as a sadhu and swami, for the next twenty years. In India, he studied with many enlightened masters who taught him the esoteric meaning of all the Hindu scriptures. Then he spent many years studying and relating each scripture to his own life experience.

In 1985, Swami Satyananda returned to India with his guru, Shree Maa. Since then he has been teaching westerners how to apply these scriptures to their hectic, daily lives. It is this experience that makes his translation of the Bhagavad Gita particularly important and relevant for westerners. As the Swami says in his introduction, "every sadhu in every generation should rewrite the Gita, retranslate it into contemporary language and symbols, which are meaningful to the present time, place and circumstances."

I found Swami Satyananda's Gita lucid, impactful and filled with spiritual emotion. He did an excellent job of making this ancient text relevant and meaningful to my daily life. This remarkable translation of the Bhagavad Gita is a treasure.

Steven Newmark, Ph.D.

Back to Bookstore  Previous Review

At first I wondered why anyone would want to do another translation of the Bhagavad Gita. There are already so many beautiful translations of this work in English. However, when I read Swami Satyananda Saraswati's translation, I was truly amazed. I felt as though I was reading the Bhavagad Gita for the first time! I became Arjuna and Lord Krishna was right in front of me teaching me and revealing Himself to me. There are no words adequate to this experience. I thank Swami Satyananda Saraswati and I bow down to him and Shree Maa for opening the doorway to this profound work, for bringing me into the presence of Lord Krishna.

A Reader

Back to Bookstore  Previous Review  Next Review

I have read, studied, and chanted from many versions of the Bhagavad Gita, and found some favorites in the past. However, this version by Swami Satyananda Saraswati is so very readable--in type, text, format, as well as translation--not only for those familiar with Sanskrit and Bhagavad Gita, but also for those new to the text and to Sanskrit.

For those readers from a Western tradition and culture, such as myself, this work provides an English translation that brings heart and soul to any in-depth study of the Bhagavad Gita. For the first time, for example, I can study the translated names of all those characters in the scripture and story, and find new meaning and food for thought, bringing greater scope and depth to the story itself. But even more than the characters themselves is the knowledgeable and thoughtful rendering of each verse itself. Again and again, I will return to the translation to savor each verse, and to meditate upon his particular translation.

Further, as a novice and beginning student of Sanskrit, I strongly appreciate the pairing of Sanskrit type, easy-to-read transliteration, and beautiful translation, where I can move my eye and attention as I chant, enriching the experience for me. In addition, this book is clearly written by a scholar, not only of Sanskrit, but most definitely of Vedic scriptures--a trustworthy combination for one like myself who is exploring Vedic practice and scriptures in greater depth.

Thank you, Swami Satyananda, for this beautiful book!

J. Teece, Ph.D., California

Back to Bookstore  Previous Review  Next Review

This is an excellent rendering of the Devi Gita with the original Sanskrit (Devanagari) and English transliteration and translation.

It is often difficult to translate Sanskrit into English due to the multilevel language that it is. Swami Satyananada Saraswati has done an excellant job of conveying the rasa of the Sanskrit.

I always wondered what the meaning was of all the instruments the Goddesses carry were and here they are in this Gita. This is a translation and not a commentary, but with the clarity of the translation a commentary is not needed.

I would recommend reading the English translation first, then move on to the Sanskrit to get the sense of great poetry and rhythm of this work.

Dr. Jan B. Newman, Clinton, Mt.

Back to Bookstore  Previous Review

The Devi Gita means "The Song of the Divine Mother Goddess" and truly it is! This scripture sings so sweetly to my heart, and of all the translations i have read, none even come close to this translation by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. It evokes devotional bhava within me, and as i chant it, each word is a nectarous mantra that tastes so sweet on the tongue. i can feel my heart opening like a blossoming lotus hungry for the morning sunlight.

Through this translation i hear the voice of the Goddess singing me out of worldliness and into Her Divine Realm of Cosmic Awareness. In this scripture, She gently teaches us how to worship Her Deity form and then guides us into meditation upon the Cosmic Divinity beyond all Forms and Names...beyond all knowledge and words.

The deeper we fall in love with our Divine Mother, the more we find we want to learn about Her; finding new ways to worship and praise Her until we dissolve in the True Union of Divine Awareness.

Swamiji Satyananda Saraswati's whole life is worship, and sharing his love of the Goddess with all the sentient beings who are perceptive enough to receive these precious teachings.
All the books Swamiji has written and translated are a priceless treasure trove of spiritual tools that will continue uplifting and guiding sincere devotees for immeasurable years to come.

If you want to really experience the joys of worship, read and practice the teachings that are found within any of Swami Satyananda Saraswati's books. Jai Maa! Blessings!

Muktimaa

Back to Bookstore  Previous Review  Next Review

This compendium of ancient stories is a delightful way to learn more about the rich history of the Indian heritage. Each story is short and engagingly told by Swami Satyananda. I found these stories to be concise and easy to read with an undercurrent of cosmic humor.

You can read the whole book from beginning to end to get a chronological view of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. You could also read stories randomly or choose a particular section that appeals to you and not lose the impact of these wonderful tales.

You can feel the oral traditions that these stories spring from as you read through this book. You can almost hear village elders reading these stories aloud around a communal fire. This evocative quality made the Swami Purana, for this reader, a different kind of reading experience. This is not a ponderous philosophical treatise . Instead, it carries the warmth and joy of reading a bed time story to your children. At the same time there are many nuggets of profound truths hidden within each story. This is a good book to help you understand Indian religion and philosophy as well as a fun book to share with your children. Highly recommended.

Steven Newmark, Ph.D.

Back to Bookstore  Previous Review

This book is so much fun! Swamiji has gathered stories of the Gods and Goddesses of India and presented them in a lively fashion which invites the reader to enter into their play. This is a book you will read again and again and want to share with your family and friends. The stories are full of delight, adventure and spiritual instruction. It is enjoyable to read them aloud (to yourself or others). My copy is almost worn out from the many times I have revisited it and I have given copies as well-received gifts. Treat yourself to the stories of the Hindu heritage told by a Master Storyteller.

A Reader

Back to Bookstore  Previous Review  Next Review